Dominion Bond System: The Only Man Left Has A Yandere Girlfriend

Chapter 62: The Treant Lord (D-)

Reiji stood motionless on the rooftop of an abandoned building on the outskirts of Cloudy City for several long minutes.

The cool night breeze brushed against the oversized hoodie he wore, carrying with it the faint metallic tang of the nearby industrial district.

Below, the city’s lights stretched out like a scattered sea of stars, noticeably less dense and overwhelming than the glittering chaos of Plush City. He adjusted the hood lower over his masked face, his eyes scanning the horizon.

’This distance should be enough to reduce the risk. Fewer patrols, fewer eyes on every Gate,’ Reiji thought to himself.

The decision to come here hadn’t been made lightly.

Back home, after finishing the daily quest and cooking for Vel, Reiji had spent time carefully studying the digital map on his phone before deleting all traces.

Cloudy City offered breathing room. The military presence was lighter here, and the Gates were less heavily contested by awakened teams. But Reiji knew better than to let his guard down.

One careless moment. One unexpected witness.

And the fragile secrecy he had maintained so far could shatter.

His hand instinctively moved toward his inventory, hovering over the Mana Suppressing Weights. The thought of equipping them for tonight’s raids crossed his mind.

The crushing pressure would force better control and growth, as it always did.

But he decided against it this time.

He wasn’t a training freak.

Tonight was primarily about farming enough EXP so he wouldn’t need to raid Gates when Hina returned. That would mean spending more time with her.

And more time with her meant more Bond Points.

With a quiet exhale, Reiji activated Shadow Step.

The world around him blurred into streaks of shadow and faint light.

He reappeared near the first target, an F-Rank Gate situated on the city’s eastern edge.

Only two patrol cars and a small team of four awakened women stood watch, their postures relaxed under the night sky.

It was manageable.

[Shadow Step.]

The Gate, which had been silently glowing with a pale shade of light blue, suddenly turned blue.

It had morphed.

The female awakeners were taken aback and quickly contacted base to alert them about the sudden abnormality.

An impending Dungeon Break.

Ding!

[Dungeon Gate (E)] - {Stable}

Reiji paused just inside the entrance, staring at the familiar blue notification with a mix of amusement and mild annoyance.

"Every single damn time..." he muttered under his breath.

The system, as expected, offered no explanation or reply.

It was almost as if the damn thing enjoyed watching him puzzle over it.

The dungeon interior revealed itself gradually.

It resembled an ancient forest that had been overtaken by long-forgotten ruins.

Tall trees with thick, moss-covered trunks leaned at unnatural angles, their branches intertwining overhead to form a dense canopy that filtered dim green light.

The ground was soft underfoot, covered in damp earth and creeping vines.

The air carried the rich scent of wet soil mixed with faint traces of mana.

Reiji’s Detect Presence skill activated subtly in the back of his mind, registering multiple faint but approaching signatures ahead.

He didn’t charge forward recklessly.

Instead, he advanced at a measured, deliberate pace, every sense sharpened by experience.

A low guttural growl echoed from the thick underbrush ahead.

Three wolf-like creatures emerged suddenly, their glowing green eyes piercing the dim light.

They were larger than ordinary wolves, their fur rippling with faint currents of mana that suggested enhanced strength and agility.

Reiji’s lips curved into a small smile beneath the mask.

[Shadow Step.]

His figure vanished instantly.

The wolves snapped at empty air where he had stood moments before.

He reappeared smoothly beside the largest one, extending a single finger with precise control.

[Rupture.]

A concentrated streak of mana flashed from his fingertip.

The wolf’s body erupted violently, exploding outward in a spray of blood, fur, and mist.

Ding!

[Host has killed an E-Rank Hunter Wolf.]

[+2 EXP]

The other two skidded to a halt, their eyes widening in visible confusion and instinctive fear.

Only for a split second.

Driven by feral rage, they charged again.

Reiji flowed through the fight like a specter in the shadows.

Another Shadow Step carried him behind the second wolf.

A light tap.

BOOM!

The monster exploded, painting the nearby moss-covered ground red.

Ding!

[Host has killed an E-Rank Hunter Wolf.]

[+2 EXP]

The final wolf attempted a desperate retreat, howling loudly into the ruins.

Reiji quickly pursued it.

He didn’t even need to use Shadow Step.

He was fast enough already.

Within seconds, he caught up to the Hunter Wolf.

Reiji grabbed its head.

Before it could react...

BOOM!

The head exploded into nothing but blood in Reiji’s palm.

The remaining half of the wolf’s body continued forward from momentum before finally collapsing.

Ding!

[Host has killed an E-Rank Hunter Wolf.]

[+2 EXP]

Reiji continued deeper into the dungeon, methodically clearing small packs of monsters.

There were vine-covered boars that charged with surprising speed, aggressive swarms of mana-infused birds that dove from the canopy, and even several ambush plants whose tendrils attempted to entangle his legs and drain his mana.

Each encounter served as practice.

He tested Rupture in different ways.

Minimal mana for quick kills on weaker foes.

Slightly more investment for tougher variants to ensure clean explosions without excessive waste.

The skill was now Level 4, and it felt increasingly natural.

The bursts were more controlled and less mana-intensive than when he first obtained it.

Between fights, he incorporated Mana Manipulation into his movements, making subtle adjustments to his footing and breathing while conserving energy for the long night ahead.

Nearly forty minutes passed before he finally approached the boss chamber.

Through a gap in the ruins, he spotted a massive treant guardian standing guard.

Its bark-like armor looked thick and reinforced with layers of mana.

Roots twisted into the ground like living anchors.

[Boss Monster – Treant Lord D-]

Reiji watched it carefully from cover, weighing the risks.

’Taking this one down would clear the entire Gate... far too noticeable for the military teams monitoring it.’

If the Gate remained uncleared, someone else would eventually finish it anyway.

The military would simply assume the boss had weakened after an awakened team entered.

"Fuck it."

Reiji walked straight toward it.

The Undead King’s Bone Sword appeared in his hand.

The familiar weight felt good.

It had been a long time since he last used it.

The treant noticed him immediately.

Its massive limbs creaked loudly as it swung a heavy branch-like arm.

Reiji dodged to the side.

[Shadow Step.]

He appeared at its flank and slashed hard.

The bone sword cut deep into the bark.

Sap sprayed outward.

But the wound started closing almost immediately.

Green energy flowed through the wood.

The bark regenerated rapidly.

"Regenerative abilities?"

Reiji’s eyes widened slightly.

This was going to be a hassle.

He attacked again. Another heavy slash. Deeper this time.

The treant roared.

The ground shook as it slammed downward.

Roots erupted from the earth, attempting to trap his legs.

Reiji escaped easily before appearing beside the monster.

[Rupture.]

BOOM!

A large section of its body exploded into splinters and sap.

The damage was massive.

But within seconds, the hole began closing.

Slower than before.

Yet still regenerating.

Reiji narrowed his eyes.

He switched back to the bone sword and combined it with Wind Cutter.

The blade tore through the treant repeatedly.

Chunks of bark and wood flew everywhere.

Yet despite the heavy damage, the monster continued regenerating and attacking.

Reiji kept moving.

Shadow Step allowed him to dance around every attack.

Meanwhile, he carefully observed the creature, searching for a weakness.

Minutes slipped by.

The treant never truly pressured him, but its relentless regeneration transformed every exchange into a battle of attrition.

He channeled more mana into the bone sword.

Then activated Soul Torture Flame just as he had practiced before.

Golden amber flames spread across the blade.

The combination felt right.

Powerful.

Reiji lunged forward.

The treant swung another massive arm.

He dodged and thrust toward the center of its body where he sensed the core.

The flaming bone sword pierced deep.

The golden flames spread through the wood.

"AAAAHHHHHH!"

The treant released a deep rumbling scream.

Its regeneration slowed dramatically.

The Soul Torture Flame devoured its energy from within.

Reiji twisted the blade and poured even more mana into the attack.

The treant thrashed wildly.

Roots erupted from the ground in every direction.

One thick root caught Reiji’s leg and slammed him into a nearby wall.

Reiji grunted in pain.

’Shit.’

He immediately used Shadow Step to escape.

But by the time he regained his footing, the treant was already regenerating again.

The golden flames flickered weaker.

The core remained intact.

Reiji stood slowly.

His breathing had become noticeably heavier.

The treant roared louder than before.

Its body bulged as it pulled in more energy.

The regeneration accelerated once again.

’Not good.’

Reiji tightened his grip on the bone sword.

The golden flames burning across the blade intensified as he prepared another strike.

But the treant moved first.

Its massive body surged forward with terrifying speed.

The distance between them vanished instantly.

Reiji’s eyes widened.

"What the..."